The Government of Mexico City rescued and transferred the dogs and cats from the Franciscan Shelter located in the Cuajimalpa mayor’s office, derived from a court order, after confirming that they were in overcrowded and abused conditions.
When making the announcement, the Head of Government, Clara Brugada, reported that the animals would be transferred to three sites run by the capital’s Government for their care: the Animal Surveillance Brigade (BVA), the Veterinary Hospital of Mexico City and a dog shelter of the Ministry of the Environment (Sedema) located in Ajusco, where they will be guaranteed care, protection, food and well-being.
In an urgent message, the president stated that some of the animals are in a critical situation, with a deteriorating state of health.
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He warned that the capital’s prosecutor’s office and the Environmental and Territorial Planning Attorney’s Office (PAOT) have corroborated “poor health conditions, overcrowding and animal abuse“that the animals have suffered.
Regarding the property dispute between the Franciscan Shelter and the Haghenbeck Foundation, Clara Brugada reiterated the position of her administration and pointed out that, as it is a matter between individuals, the government will respect the judicial resolution that derives from the legal and administrative processes.
In this regard, the capital’s prosecutor Bertha Alcalde Luján explained that the investigation of the case began in December 2025 after multiple citizen complaints in which dogs and cats were found inside the property.
He indicated that this Wednesday a court order was executed to search and secure the property, located on the Mexico-Toluca highway, with the aim of protecting the lives of the animals found in this space.
He explained that 936 animals were identified, of which at least 798 (759 dogs and 39 cats) had conditions compatible with abuse or cruelty; 20 were hospitalized due to the seriousness of their health condition, while 21 had died outside the property.
The capital prosecutor explained that the main findings of the investigation are: severe overcrowding in the property, with a number of animals much higher than the actual capacity of the facilities; lack of ventilation, roofless cages, constant accumulation of feces and urine; presence of harmful fauna; as well as the lack of veterinary care.
Operational
Since the early hours of Wednesday, 200 elements were deployed in the vicinity of the Franciscan Shelter to make way for the rescue of the animals.
The police presence coincided with the concentration of animal groups and activists, who expressed their concern for the integrity and fate of the animals, which led to pulling and pushing. The lawyer of the Franciscan Shelter, Jessica Paola Ávalos, requested the intervention of the judicial authorities to enforce a suspension order that, she assured, seeks to prevent the delivery of the animals to the capital’s Government and stop the recovery of the property until the legal conflict is resolved in depth.
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The Antonio Haghenbeck y de la Lama Foundation, IAP stated that its priority has been and will continue to be the protection of the life and well-being of sentient beings.
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